LIFE OF ELIE METCHNIKOFF 31 



might together edit a new encyclopaedia of human 

 knowledge. He studied German so as to read in 

 the original the classical materialistic writers, Vogt, 

 Feuerbach, Buchner, Moleschott, etc. The Lycee 

 lectures were relegated to the background. Never- 

 theless, owing to his great facility of assimilation, 

 he was successful in every branch. Plans for his 

 ulterior activities were soon definitely fixed. 



At that time of intense intellectual effervescence 

 in Russia, libraries were invaded by a number of 

 translations of works on natural science. Elie absorbed- 

 them with avidity, and read amongst others a Russian 

 translation of Bronn's book on the Classes and Orders 

 of the Animal Kingdom. He saw for the first time in 

 the plates of that work pictures of micro-organisms, 

 amoebae, Infusoria, Rhizopoda, etc. That world of 

 lower beings impressed him so strongly that he resolved 

 from that moment to devote himself to the study of 

 them, that is, to the study of the primitive mani- 

 festations of life in its simplest forms. 



He was then fifteen years old. The two brothers 

 now obtained from their parents permission to live 

 in furnished rooms, an independent arrangement 

 which allowed each of them to satisfy his individual 

 tastes. Apart from the Lycee, Kolia spent his time 

 in playing cards and billiards and in other amuse- 

 ments, whilst Elie worked with ardour, his only 

 recreations being music and debates on abstract 

 subjects. When he entered the second class he had 

 become completely specialised. In order to tackle 

 serious scientific studies, he tried to come into touch 

 with one of the University professors. The University 

 of Kharkoff was still making use of ancient methods ; 

 teaching was given by means of manuals, with prac- 



